Coyotes, Islanders are NHL’s biggest disappointments

The Phoenix Coyotes have never won the National Hockey League’s prized trophy -- indeed, have never played in the NHL’s championship series during their 31-season history (14 years in Phoenix after 17 in Winnipeg).

A new On Numbers study has named the Coyotes the most difficult team to support in the NHL, based on their inability to win the Stanley Cup or even advance to the quarterfinals of the playoffs in the past 23 seasons.

On Numbers analyzed all 30 NHL teams, searching for the franchises that have disappointed their fans most consistently. (Click here for the methodology.) The results can be found in the database below. Follow the View Details link for additional information about any franchise.

The New York Islanders, who won four consecutive Stanley Cups in the early 1980s, are no longer a juggernaut. They rank second in the fan difficulty rankings, followed by the St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs and Los Angeles Kings.

The easiest hockey team to support is the Detroit Red Wings, who have reached the Stanley Cup finals three times in the past 10 seasons.